Katelin Holloway, Founding Partner, 776: From Operator to VC Trailblazer

Hi Impactful Listener!

In this enlightening episode of the Female VC Lab Podcast, host Barbara Bickham sits down with Katelin Holloway, founding partner at 776. Katelin delves into her transition from being an operator to a venture capitalist, her firm’s unique thesis agnostic approach, and the evolving landscape of venture capital, especially in the context of AI integration. With her rich background and passion for innovation, Katelin shares valuable insights into finding and supporting promising founders.

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Key Points Discussed

• Katelin's journey from an operator to a venture capitalist and her motivation to scale her efforts in working with startups.

• 776's unique thesis agnostic approach that focuses on identifying and supporting outstanding founders, regardless of industry.

• The impact of artificial intelligence on the venture capital ecosystem and Katelin's perspective on AI as an infrastructure shift.

• The importance of providing more than just capital in venture investing, emphasizing the role of operational expertise.

• Exploration of Katelin's interests, such as space tech and women's health tech.

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Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction of Katelin Holloway and her role at 776

• 00:19 Katelin explains her motivation to become a venture capitalist

• 01:06 Discussion on 776's thesis agnostic investment approach

• 02:33 Katelin shares her current learning interests and media consumption

• 04:06 Katelin’s views on the evolving landscape of venture capital

• 05:27 How 776 integrates AI considerations into its investment strategy

• 07:05 How listeners can connect with Katelin

Full Topic Guide

Navigating Venture Capital with Katelin Holloway - Embracing Change and Innovation

Understanding 776's Investment Philosophy and the Role of AI in VC

From Operator to Investor: A Personal Journey Katelin Holloway’s transition from being an executive operator to a venture capitalist offers invaluable lessons for aspiring investors. With over a decade in the boardroom on the operational side, she resonates deeply with founders, understanding the nuances of building sustainable businesses. Her motivation to move into venture capital stemmed from her desire to scale her impact, allowing her to support multiple businesses simultaneously from an investor’s perspective.

776’s Thesis Agnostic Approach: Investing in Exceptional Founders The investment philosophy at 776 is notably different, embracing a thesis agnostic strategy. This approach focuses on identifying pioneering founders and providing them with capital, regardless of their industry. Katelin highlights this flexibility by citing the success of past investments like Coinbase and Instacart, emphasizing the importance of not being constrained by a rigid thesis, which could limit opportunities in emerging sectors.

The Role of AI: A Fundamental Shift in Business Landscape As AI continues to redefine industries, Katelin views it not as a standalone sector but as a transformative infrastructure shift. At 776, the integration of AI is seen as essential across all business models. Whether it’s enhancing operational efficiencies or pioneering technological advancements, the application of AI allows companies to maintain a competitive edge.

Beyond Capital: The Need for Operational Expertise in VC Katelin stresses that venture capitalists must offer more than monetary investments. With her operational background, she sees a growing trend where VCs with substantial operational experience are winning deals. This shift reflects a preference among founders for investors who can provide strategic guidance and industry insights, ensuring a mutually beneficial partnership.

Interests and Innovations: A Focus on Space and Health Tech With a personal passion for space tech and women's health tech, Katelin is enthusiastic about exploring groundbreaking developments in these fields. Her openness to diverse sectors ensures that 776 can support innovative solutions that address various global challenges.

Notable Quotes from the Guest

Fun Facts or Interesting Tidbits

1. Katelin has a deep fascination with space exploration and the Artemis Accords, which focus on international cooperation in space activities.

2. Before venturing into capital investment, Katelin was deeply rooted in the world of operations, providing her with unique insights into the challenges faced by startup founders.

Episode Resource: Learning, Reading, and Listening

1. Artimes Accords - Policies relating to space and space exploration: The transcript doesn't provide a link, but you can search for the Artemis Accords online for more detailed information.

Remember, these resources were directly named in the episode when Katelin Holloway was asked about her current learning and reading habits. If you want to explore them further, consider looking them up to dive into these interesting topics!

Featured Guest Bio

Katelin Holloway is Founding Partner at Alexis Ohanian's early-stage venture capital firm, 776. A seasoned investor with over 20 years of operational experience at companies like Pixar and Reddit, Katelin backs transformative startups across diverse sectors. She invests in solutions that push the boundaries of human potential and resilience—advancing health, exploring new frontiers, driving sustainability, fostering creativity, and enriching the human condition. At 776, Katelin combines her operational expertise with a deep commitment to supporting founders as they navigate early-stage challenges and scale their visions. Katelin is dedicated to reshaping venture capital by empowering generational entrepreneurs to tackle humanity’s biggest challenges while driving exceptional returns.

• LinkedIn

Fund Information

Seven Seven Six is an early-stage venture capital firm with over $970M AUM and is focused on the intersection of product and people. Powered by the operating system Cerebro, at its heart, 776 is a technology company that deploys capital. The firm was founded in 2020 by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Seven Seven Six invests across sectors, with investments spanning the creator economy, space, climate tech, sports, fintech, web3, healthcare, collectibles, AI, and more. Investments include Feastables, Stoke Space, Angel City FC, and Riverside. For more information, visit sevensevensix.com.

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Best,
Barbara